Thursday, August 27, 2009

Porsche 911 GT3 Cup

The latest incarnation of the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup racecar, based on the 911 GT3 RS, will make its public debut next month at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show.

Compared with the 911 GT3 RS, the GT3 Cup is lighter and faster, with some serious hardware aimed directly at cup-trophy series competitors around the world. The out-of-the-box price, before taxes, will be just under $215,000 when deliveries start in late October.

Offered in only a single color, Carrara White, the 911 GT3 Cup shares its 444-horsepower 3.8-liter flat-6 engine with the GT3 RS, with the exhaust exiting through a racing system with fully controlled catalytic converter. The GT3 Cup gets a six-speed sequential gearbox, as well as larger wheels and tires, and weighs significantly less than the GT3 RS — only 2,646 pounds.

The bodywork of the racecar is similar to that of the GT3 RS — the front body panels are virtually identical — with subtle (and not-so-subtle) differences. The front lip spoiler on the GT3 Cup is 0.6 inch lower and the rear wing 9.4 inches wider; the net result is more downforce fore and aft.